Are Mobile Apps Irrelevant?

As websites becomes more powerful and robust, phones apps have to compete by offering users a unique and compelling reason to download the app onto their phone.

With business websites being developed from the ground up to work on multiple devices, sometimes these websites are just as robust as the business' own app. Business have to make sure their own apps offer a valuable service besides simply being a quick and convenient way to access the business's offerings.

Modern websites can offer location services and the ability to upload photos, but isn’t as seamless of an experience as using a dedicated app. Apps have the advantage of being able to preload many assets for the user so they get a faster experience and some services can potentially be used when the internet connection is spotty or nonexistent.

Mobile apps have the advantage of using the phone’s functionality to its fullest potential. Imagine playing an intense game of Clash Royale through your mobile web browser. It’s impossible, because it’s too demanding of the web and your phone’s resources.

Mobile apps also offer a massive amount of convenience for the end user. For example, the Home Depot app can locate what store you’re at and help you find where that pesky over-the-counter microwave duct is hiding.

The website can do this as well, but finding the customer’s location and saving their account information with the app is much more convenient and requires less steps. Other useful features include tapping into the phone’s camera to scan product barcodes. Try getting a website to do that!

SurveyMe’s website is responsive and might I say it looks as good on small screens as it does on large, but the mobile survey app is where the magic happens. SurveyMe’s unique geo-tagging feature is only possible as an app.

Other app only features is scanning surveys via unique QR code. While SurveyMe’s surveys can be taken on the website using a unique code, it’s significantly more convenient to simply scan a QR code and be immediately directed to the right survey.

For businesses trying to retain customers, it’s much more valuable to get customers to download the app whenever possible. Amazon knows this and offered $5 to each of its customers who downloaded and tried out the mobile phone.

Mobile apps from a business perspective have the advantage of being a constant presence on a customer’s phone. Mobile websites are great at bringing customers to your product or service, but mobile apps are great for keeping customers coming back.

A mobile friendly website is essential, but if your business offers enough unique features through your mobile app it will convince users to dedicate precious phone space to your company.

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